


Abductions and Tea Parties

by NamelesslyNightlock



Series: Going Down Swinging [50]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adorkable, Awesome Pepper Potts, BAMF Pepper Potts, Banter, Confused Tony Stark, Declarations Of Love, Denial of Feelings, Developing Friendships, Feels, Fluffy Ending, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Kidnapping, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious Tony Stark, POV Outsider, POV Pepper Potts, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Pining, Pining Loki (Marvel), Romantic Fluff, Tea, Tea Parties, secret friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23230627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: Pepper was fairly certain that the usual kidnapping involved neither cups of tea nor impromptu declarations of love toward her best friend– but then, she probably should have expected that Loki would be anythingbutusual.
Relationships: Loki & Pepper Potts, Loki/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark
Series: Going Down Swinging [50]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1330490
Comments: 100
Kudos: 750





	Abductions and Tea Parties

**Author's Note:**

  * For [STARSdidathing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: [绑架和茶话会](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23426788) by [kummerspeck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kummerspeck/pseuds/kummerspeck)



> Thank you again to Stars for this amazing idea!  
>   
>  **Prompt** — _“Be you. Nobody else can.”_

Pepper had always known that there was a certain amount of risk that came with being Tony Stark’s friend.

It had always been so, from the hounding reporters to the disgruntled populace, and when he had become first Iron Man and then an Avenger, she’d known that the risk would only increase.

But that had never been a problem for her. Tony was her _friend_ , and she’d stand by him through the thick and thin—

Which apparently now included being kidnapped by Asgardian princes. _Brilliant._

Oh, Pepper had heard all about Loki– Tony complained about him often enough after all. (And when Pepper says _often enough_ , what she really means is, of course, that Loki was currently Tony’s favourite topic to complain about and that every fourth and fifth word that came out of Tony’s mouth was ‘ _fucking’_ and _‘Loki.’)_ But, she had _heard_ that Loki was villain. She’d heard about his attacks, about the way that he scratched so violently at Tony’s nerves that Tony had been reduced to a muttering mess as he tried to upgrade his suits to be able to keep up with Loki’s magic.

By all accounts – but especially Tony’s – Loki was a villain who would sooner tear the world apart than play nice.

So when she was pushed down into a chair and her blindfold was pulled from her face, she was honestly expecting to see some kind of torture chamber.

She certainly had _not_ expected to be greeted by the sight of a perfectly set table, expensive china steaming with the delicious smell of high-quality tea, and a plate garnished with her favourite brand of cookies.

“Good morning Ms Potts,” Loki said from the other side of the table, the pot in his hand. “Would you care for some tea?”

Pepper blinked, not entirely certain that she could trust what she was seeing. Loki wasn’t wearing any kind of armour, and he seemed about as far from menacing and psychotic as it was possible to be. His hair looked soft as it curled around his ears, and his clothes were well tailored but not intimidating– the bottle green of his coat complimenting the colour of his eyes and softening the lines of his face, while the grey and black scarf hung over his neck made him appear almost approachable.

But it was his expression that was the true icing on the cake. Because Loki didn’t _look_ like a villain who had kidnapped an innocent victim. There was a vulnerability in his gaze that didn’t make a whole lot of sense, given that Pepper could hardly do anything to hurt him– and the set of his lips was _nervous._

So, really. In such a situation, there was only one thing that Pepper _could_ do.

“Is it poisoned?” she asked.

Loki actually looked _insulted_ at that, and Pepper wondered for a moment if he was going to try and defend his character. But then, the words that _actually_ came out of his mouth did far more to help her trust his sincerity than any attempt at kindness would have.

“If I were going to poison you, I wouldn’t put the poison in _tea,”_ Loki replied, sounding honestly disgusted by the simple thought of it. “Coffee, _perhaps_ , but tea? What a complete and utter _waste.”_

Pepper smiled politely, and reached out to nudge her empty teacup a little closer to Loki. “In that case, I would love some.”

Loki poured the tea with well-practiced skill, and when Pepper lifted her cup to her lips she breathed in slow. Yes, just as she had thought– that _was_ her favourite tea. It was a little worrying, but then again, Loki _did_ have magic. And, besides. The creepiness factor would depend on Loki’s motives.

“I wish to preface our conversation with an apology,” Loki said once they had both taken a few sips of their tea. “I know that this sudden invitation was likely perturbing—”

“This _kidnapping_ , you mean,” Pepper corrected, her voice keeping the same pleasant tone that she had mastered while throwing Tony’s one night stands out of the house, and had perfected in the SI boardroom.

“Yes,” Loki winced– taking Pepper by surprise again. She had expected a little more pushback. “And I apologise. For kidnapping you.”

“If you knew that it was going to need an apology, why did you do it?” Pepper asked, leaning back slightly in her chair. She was also curious about the reason for the apology itself – that, after all, was not normal kidnapper _or_ villain behaviour – but she had the feeling that she would learn that soon enough, with the right amount of patience.

“Because…” Loki averted his gaze for a moment– but when he looked back to her, his expression was determined. “I need your advice.”

Well, that was yet another unexpected occurrence to add to the list. She wondered how much that must have cost Loki to admit– because surely, for someone like Loki to need help from someone like _her…_

“Advice on what, exactly?” she asked, unable to keep the curiosity out of her tone.

And _oh_ , there it was– a slight flush of pink spreading over Loki’s cheeks. Ah yes, it would seem that this was costing Loki rather a lot, indeed.

“I… find myself in something of a predicament,” Loki said, his fingers turning his not-quite-empty cup around in his hands. “You see, I understand that you are one of Stark’s closest friends.”

Loki paused there, and Pepper had a sharp retort ready on the tip of her tongue– because there was no chance that she was going to give Loki any information on _Tony._ But then Loki continued, and she realised that, once again, this was _not_ something that she ever could have predicted. Not in a million years.

“I wish to know… how to soften Stark’s countenance toward me,” Loki said, the words sounding like they were difficult to force out between his teeth. “I have attempted to gain his attention in the past, but every time has resulted in a fight. And as enjoyable as our battles can be, I do not _wish_ to fight him, not wholly. Our dialogues over the battlefield are engaging, and I wish to speak with him properly, to share a proper conversation. I wish to get to know him better, and for him to get to know me– the way that I _am_ , not the caricature that he seems to believe is the truth. I do not consider it preposterous to believe that Stark and I could get along, for I already admire so much about him. He is one of the few Midgardians who would be _worth_ talking to, for his intelligence and wit far outshines—”

“Oh my god,” Pepper cut in, her eyes going wide as not only the words Loki spoke but also the _tone_ in which he said them washed over her in a sudden wave of understanding. “You’re in love with him.”

Loki’s blush deepened, and Pepper knew that she’d hit the nail directly on the head regardless of what was said next.

“I am not in _love_ with him—”

“But you want to be with him, don’t you?” Pepper pressed. “And you kidnapped me to ask my _advice?_ On how to ask Tony on a date?”

“ _No,”_ Loki denied, but it was clear that the reaction was an instinct rather than actual truth– something that was only made clearer still as all the tension then left him with a frustrated sigh. “Yes,” he groaned in admission. “I wish to court him, but every attempt has resulted in Anthony getting _angry.”_

 _Anthony_ , huh? Pepper almost smiled at that, but she managed to keep it hidden.

“Well, there is one thing I can tell you,” Pepper said– and it was almost cute, the way that Loki leaned forward in interest, one hand flat on the table while the other gripped his teacup. Would have been, had it been anyone other than _Loki._

“I will take any advice you have to offer,” he said quickly.

“If you want to get on Tony’s good side, then kidnapping one of his friends was about the worst thing that you could have done,” Pepper finished, reaching out before she’d even thought about it to gently pat Loki’s hand in something like a condolence.

Loki groaned, and lowered his head. “I thought that might be the case,” he muttered. “But I did not have much of a choice. _Everything_ I have tried only seems to make him hate me more.”

And Pepper… felt herself softening.

Loki might deny the fact that he had fallen in love, but it was rather clear that the poor man had it _bad._ And if there was one thing Pepper was more than capable of being empathetic toward, it was having uninvited feelings for Tony Stark. She had harboured her own for _years_ after all, and she knew what it felt like care that deeply for someone who was lost in their own world. Of course, Tony’s world was now a lot bigger than it used to be, encompassing all the people that Tony felt he needed to save– but that probably only left even less room for noticing the people right beside him.

So, yes. Pepper _knew_ the pain in Loki’s voice with a certain kind of intimacy, and despite her better judgement… she found herself giving in.

Because– it was clear as day that Loki cared, cared enough to be willing to ask _her_ for advice. And the more she thought about it—

Let’s just say, she wasn’t entirely convinced that Loki’s affection was a _completely_ lost cause, because…

Well.

“It’ll be all right,” Pepper said, a small but this time _real_ smile twitching up the corners of her lips. “Listen. You say that you make him angry?”

Loki nodded– a harsh, jerky kind of movement which said more than words could have.

“Well… I suppose you could say that Tony is a whirlwind. He can’t just focus on the one thing, he’s always jumping around from one thought to the next. It’s hard to the point of being nearly impossible to keep up with him, but… I think it’s a testament to how fast his mind works.” As she spoke, Pepper was almost amused by the way that Loki leaned forward again, clearly hanging on to her every word. Honestly, she wouldn’t have been surprised if Loki actually pulled out a notepad and began jotting down everything she said. “Tony doesn’t even stick to one project for long– he will jump from one to another, or at the very least have several he is working on at once. If he thinks of something new, then he has to pursue that thought without a moment’s delay.”

Pepper paused for a breath, and Loki’s brow creased.

“Why are you telling me this?” he asked, though his tone seemed honestly curious rather than complaintive.

“Because, Loki?” Pepper smiled. “Tony has been complaining about you for _months.”_

Loki seemed to understand what she was saying immediately, his eyes brightening with a sudden burst of what could only be hope.

“Then you think that I have a chance?” Loki asked.

“Perhaps,” Pepper allowed. “But if we are going to make this work, then we’re going to need a good plan, a bit of time, and a lot more tea.”

Loki grinned. “I can certainly have that arranged.” Then he held out his hand in that unmistakable gesture. “It is a pleasure to properly make your acquaintance, Ms Potts.”

And without a single shard of concern, Pepper reached over the table and shook it.

—

When Pepper arrived back at the tower, everything seemed a little surreal. She had spent several hours speaking with Loki, giving him advice about Tony and just– well, for the most part, they had just _talked._ Pepper had convinced herself at first that she was merely scoping Loki out, testing the waters as it were, to be sure she was making the right choice by throwing Loki in Tony’s direction. But as the time had gone on, she’d realised that she actually _liked_ Loki.

He was polite and well mannered, and yet that smooth surface covered wit that was as sharp as Tony’s. She was sure that the pair would get along well, and by the time that Loki sent her back home with a smile and a wave of his hand she was only all the more certain in her decision.

Of course, that wouldn’t matter if she and Loki could not get in contact again. He seemed to think that it would be possible, but Pepper was not convinced that Tony – or at least JARVIS – would remain unaware if she snuck out to meet a supervillain for brunch every now and then.

Well, she supposed that everything would hinge on what happened _next_ – which was perhaps half of the reason why it felt surreal to be back.

She had been gone hours, and it felt almost strange to walk the halls of Avengers Tower knowing that she had only just been having tea with one of their most persistent enemies. Especially since what she’d told Loki was hardly a lie– Tony really would be tearing buildings apart if he knew that Pepper had been kidnapped.

But when she stepped onto the Avenger’s common floor, it wasn’t to find a search underway. Instead, she found Tony with messy hair and bleary eyes, as if he had only just forced himself from his bed even though it was gone five o’clock in the afternoon.

“Up late again, Tony?” She asked, her voice a little hesitant. And she _was_ still half expecting that he would say his haggardness was not from lack of sleep, but rather worry for her. But—

“Hey, Pep,” Tony yawned, hardly glancing up as he poked at the coffee machine again. “Good day?”

Pepper stared.

Nope. He really hadn’t even _noticed_ that she had been kidnapped.

But instead of feeling hurt, her lips curled up into the beginnings of a smirk—

Because, if Loki could get her out of the Tower without Tony or JARVIS noticing, then… _oh yes._ This just might work.

—

Perhaps this time, it _was_ something to be expected, but as time went by Pepper found herself starting to consider Loki as a friend.

They met twice a week, usually with Loki ‘kidnapping’ her at an arranged time or the pair of them meeting for tea in a café with Loki in disguise. At first, they would only talk about Tony, and about what Loki could do to get his attention. But the more they talked, the more they actually grew to like each other’s company, and soon it was as if their meetings truly were just a casual get together.

But while Pepper might have been able to imagine that it was something normal, Loki’s focus never truly shifted. His outlook had been a little brighter when they first began to talk, but as time continued and nothing seemed to change, the anticipation in his gaze began to wane.

Whenever Pepper suggested something new, it would seem that Loki had already tried it. The only thing he hadn’t was outright stating his intentions in the middle of a fight, and while Loki actually _hesitated_ before giving his answer, he said that was something he truly would rather leave for a last resort.

Pepper could understand that, somewhat.

So yes, it was hard, and it was taking rather a long time. But… while she and Loki plotted, she began to pay attention as well to what _Tony_ was doing.

You see… with Loki’s attention wholeheartedly on what the pair of them were doing, he hadn’t been causing as much mischief as he usually did– and not only had Tony noticed but he was, of course, also complaining about it.

“I thought you’d be glad that he’s stopped,” Pepper commented sweetly in the middle of one such rant. “You haven’t stopped talking about how much trouble he’s caused for months.”

“He’s up to something,” Tony insisted. “There’s no way he’s just gone quiet. _No way.”_

But no matter how much Tony rambled about red herrings and secret plans, Pepper was fairly certain that she could see right through him. Tony _missed_ the confrontations with Loki– he missed the sparring, both physical and verbal, and he just missed _Loki._ He wasn’t only worried about what Loki might be up to– there were times when he seemed legitimately concerned that something bad might have happened to him.

Which was why, the next time Loki kidnapped Pepper for tea, she laid the facts down straight and true.

“You really are just going to have to ask him, Loki,” she said, her tone firm and leaving no room for argument.

Of course, that didn’t mean that Loki didn’t _try,_ but she barely gave him the time to part his lips before she was continuing.

“Look,” she sighed. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but– when Tony and I got together, he only noticed that I cared about him because I kissed him. Before that, he only seemed to think that I wanted something more professional. Tony might be a genius, but he’s _dense._ Everything you’ve done so far would have worked with literally anyone else on the planet, but… this is _Tony._ He’s starting to worry, which means that he _does_ care– you just can’t leave a single _shred_ of doubt, because if you do, you can be sure he’ll find it.”

Loki winced at that, but he did seem to be able to recognise the logic. “I suppose there’s no backing down now,” he muttered. Then he looked up to meet her gaze– and his green eyes were blazing with resolve. “What should I do?” 

Gone was the nervousness that had coloured his tone at the start of their arrangement, replaced by sheer determination.

And Pepper smiled. “There’s only one thing for it, Loki,” she said. “Tony… he’s not as superfluous as the media likes to make him seem—”

“I _know_ that—”

“I know you do,” Pepper agreed. “He values what’s _real_ , and… I’m sure you’re aware that he could have anyone he wanted, anyone at all. But recently? He hasn’t even tried.”

Loki caught on immediately. “You say he wants _me_ … so I shouldn’t try to act as anything else.”

“Exactly,” Pepper grinned. “He doesn’t want models pretending to be something they’re not, he doesn’t want fake gold-diggers or someone who’ll pander to his every whim. So, just… be you. Nobody else can. And remember… _you’re_ the one he wants.”

Loki gave a sharp nod at that– and Pepper couldn’t help but be sure that he was going to be all right.

Still, sure or not, it didn’t hurt to take every possible precaution. And besides, it really would have been a terrible shame to let Pepper’s favourite plan go to waste, right?

She had been hoping that they would be able to enact it for weeks, ever since they’d thought of it after experimenting with a little Baileys in their tea– and this?

This was her _moment_.

—

When Pepper was young, she watched a lot of monster movies.

It hadn’t been a matter of choice– her father had enjoyed them, and she had been more than willing to sit through them when pretending it was something _she_ enjoyed had made her father smile. But the motivations for watching them didn’t matter. What _did_ was that she had rather a lot of images to draw upon, and that she was able to use them to _easily_ direct Loki’s over-developed sense of dramaticism—

And you know what?

It turned out that playing the damsel in distress was _fun_ – even if only because she knew that she was playing.

And yeah, it would have been far more entertaining if _she_ was the one shooting off violent blasts of magic and attracting as much attention as possible, but. Hovering several hundred feet in the air over the edge of a building and held up only by Loki’s magic was also thrilling in a way that she hadn’t experienced in quite some time.

It was almost unfortunate that it took the Avengers less than ten minutes to arrive on the scene.

The moment they did, Loki used his magic to reel Pepper back onto the roof of the building, and pulled her against his chest so that she was acting as something of a shield. Loki’s grip around her waist was gentle despite the snarl upon his face, and although she wasn’t worried, she _screamed_ as loudly as she could, struggling and fighting and _crying_ —

“Shut _up,_ woman,” Loki hissed, jerking her with his arm– and again, although the movement was not harsh, Pepper made sure to exaggerate the affect it had on her.

“Let her go, Loki.” That was Steve, stepping forward with a frown upon his brow. The rest of the Avengers were fanned out at his sides, their weapons at the ready.

“I don’t think that I will,” Loki said, his voice almost _cheerful_ now. Then Pepper felt him shift slightly, and she knew that he would be focused upon one member of the team in particular.

Tony had yet to say a single word– which was probably a good sign, actually. Hopefully.

Normally, when Tony was angry, he would be spewing out vitriol and terrible nicknames with rapid fire. The fact that he was silent meant something else.

No doubt Tony was torn– because there was no way that he would leave Pepper to her down devices when she was in danger, but Pepper also had no doubts at all that Tony harboured strong feelings for Loki.

Still, it would hardly be long before Tony snapped, which meant that they needed to move quickly.

Thankfully, Loki seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

“I know you care for woman dearly, Stark,” Loki said, his tone sharp and cutting. “So I know when I tell you that you will need to follow us _entirely_ alone, you will do so.”

 _That_ made Tony move, the armour taking a step forward, his hands raising and starting to glow—

But Loki didn’t give him the chance.

“Your AI will receive the address soon,” Loki said. “Do not bring any of the other Avengers. If you do, it would be…” he paused for a moment, and then lifted one of his daggers to press the blade against Pepper’s throat. “… _most_ unfortunate.”

“You—”

“I will see you soon, Iron Man,” Loki interrupted—

Then Pepper felt something tingle over her skin, and a sharp tug in her gut—

And then they were standing somewhere entirely different, the Avengers nowhere to be seen.

Loki let go of her immediately, and she turned to face him with a grin. “Do you think it worked?” she asked. “Do you think he’ll come?”

“I think it won’t matter whether Anthony turns up or not,” Loki groaned. “I believe you burst my eardrums with that scream, and if he _does_ arrive, I will not be able to hear a single thing that he has to say.”

“Don’t be such a drama queen,” Pepper replied– though her tone was rather fond. “Come on, tell me. What do you think?”

Loki sighed. “I think that he will come. But I also think that I only succeeded in making him angry. Again.”

“He’ll get over it,” Pepper promised. “Trust me. This is Tony we’re talking about. As soon as he knows that I played a part in this, he’ll be fine.”

“I hope you are correct.”

“Loki,” Pepper sighed. “Look. You know that I want him to be happy, just as much as you do. Would I help you upset him if I didn’t truly think that it would be better for him in the long term?”

Loki’s lips quirked at that. “I can see why he chose you to be the head of his company.”

“If you’ve only just worked that out, then I don’t think you’ve been paying enough attention,” Pepper teased. “Now, come on. All we have to do now is wait.”

Loki nodded– and then he smiled properly as he gestured to the small table off to the side and asked, “Tea?”

“I think that sounds perfect,” Pepper replied.

—

They did not have to wait very long, but the time had been enough for Loki to relax. The tea had probably helped with that too, as had the conversation– an animate argument as to whether teabags changed the taste of a tea compared to preparing it with loose leaves.

To be honest, Pepper did not have a particular opinion on the subject, but watching Loki argue so passionately about the cardinal crime of using a teabag had her holding in a fond laugh and having more fun that she’d had in a while—

So much so that she actually _jumped_ when the ceiling of the warehouse all but exploded inward, Iron Man careening through the roof in a torrent of dust and concrete. Tony landed on the ground with an ear-splitting crash, and his weapons were up in moments.

“Get away from her, Loki,” Tony snarled, his anger more than clear even through the voice modulators in the suit—

But then he seemed to actually _see_ the scene before him, and it was like he _froze._

“Hello, Tony,” Pepper greeted brightly, standing from her chair and smoothing down her jacket. “It took you long enough.”

Those blue, glowing eyes seemed to stare for a moment, and then Tony straightened from his attack position. “Pepper?” Poor thing. He sounded rather confused.

“Take your suit off, Tony,” Pepper told him. “It’s all right. Loki and I are friends.”

The helmet retracted, but the rest of the suit stayed in place as Tony jabbed a finger in Loki’s direction. “What have you done to her?” Tony demanded. “Drop the spell right—”

“I have done nothing,” Loki said, arching a brow. “You are the one who did not notice the number of times that I kidnapped her before now.”

Well, it would seem that Loki was taking Pepper’s advice to be himself to heart. Oh well, it was probably fine. Tony might even find it challenging.

But still, she should probably add something as well, just in case.

“We bonded over tea,” she said, gesturing to the table. Then, as her gaze fell onto her own cup, she picked it up and drained the last drop before placing it back down with a smile. “And thank you for that, Loki,” she added. “But I think it is time I take my leave, now.”

Loki nodded– and although Pepper could see the touch of nervousness in his expression, it was definitely overwhelmed by that same steely determination.

He was going to be fine.

Probably.

“Right,” Pepper said, turning and walking over to Tony. “Now. Get out of the suit, and _play nice._ He’s my friend, and I think you’ll get along _very_ well, if you take a moment to talk without trying to shoot at him.”

“Uh, hang on,” Tony said, his eyes suddenly going very wide. Well, it would seem that he _finally_ was starting to catch on. “ _Wait._ Pep, is this what I think it—”

“Loki has something that he wants to say to you,” Pepper told him seriously. “And I do _not_ want to hear that you didn’t even listen to him, do you understand me?”

Tony was still staring with eyes as wide as saucers, so Pepper just decided to take that as an agreement.

“Okay. So, have fun, boys.”

“Thank you, Pepper,” Loki said, inclining his head slightly.

“You’re welcome. And Tony, I’ll see you later,” Pepper said. Then she allowed herself a smirk. “Hopefully, the _tomorrow_ kind of later.”

Tony looked like his mind was short circuiting a little, which surely could only be a good sign. The expression only deepened when Loki moved a little closer, and gestured to the second table he had set up, away from the one he and Pepper had been drinking their tea at– and, honestly, even though she had seen him do it she still couldn’t help the little internal _awwwwh._ Because, Loki really had done everything he could think of– a silk tablecloth, expensive plates, a candle and a vase with a single red rose forming the centrepiece.

It was romantic, and– yeah, a little adorable.

“Anthony,” Loki said, his voice impressively level. “Would you… like to join me for dinner?”

Tony _gaped–_ but only for a moment. Still, a moment was enough for Pepper’s smile to turn smug, because no one else had ever managed to get this reaction from Tony, had they? Tony was always so confident, and yet…

Well, it was incredibly telling.

And, sure enough, it really did only take that moment before he seemed to steel himself, drawing in a long, deep breath.

And then—

“You know what?” Tony said, his eyes still a little wide, but– his suit finally melted away as he spoke, the nanobots crawling back into his arc reactor and leaving him in jeans and t-shirt. Pepper was grateful that he at least wasn’t covered in motor-oil, though she knew Loki wouldn’t have cared. “I think I would, actually.”

Tony flashed Loki a smile– the kind of smile that Pepper recognised not because it was one that Tony used often, but because it was a smile that she had always cherished. It was Tony’s _real_ smile, the one that wasn’t meant to be flirty or cocky or dangerous– just a small smile of burgeoning excitement, of light, growing _happiness._

And when Loki saw it, a light pink flush danced over his cheeks– which only made Tony smile wider.

Yes.

They were certainly going to be fine—

And Pepper was wearing a smile of her own as she quietly exited the workshop, leaving the pair to their own devices, rather sure that even _they_ could work it out on their own from there.

—

The following morning, Pepper had a board meeting.

The looks on the board members’ faces as they walked in to find her waiting at the head of the table were honestly hilarious– and she took great pleasure in asking them if they truly thought that being very publicly kidnapped by a supervillain would be enough to cause her to be _late._

But the meeting had barely just started when she felt her phone begin to ring– a little odd, since she had silenced all calls save for those categorised as being of the highest priority—

But then she glanced at the caller ID, and clicked the button to answer without any further hesitation.

“Loki?” she asked. “Are you—”

“Good morning, Pepper,” Loki replied– and even though his voice was little more than a whisper, she could still hear the pure happiness in his tone. “I know that you hoped to hear from Anthony this morning, but I thought that I might inform you he is rather indisposed at the moment, and likely will not be making it back home.”

Pepper near on _squealed,_ not caring that squealing was something she didn’t do, nor that she was in the middle of a board meeting where everyone currently watching her was no doubt _judging._ This was _important._

“That’s amazing!” she said. “Oh, I’m so happy for you—”

_“Lokiiiii, where’d you go?”_

Pepper had to muffle a laugh as she heard Tony’s voice in the background of the call, clearly having only just woken up.

_“Come back, ‘m miss you—”_

“I am speaking to Pepper, she wanted to know—”

Loki was cut off by a sudden shift of fabric, and then Pepper’s grin widened as she heard the unmistakeable sound of the phone forcibly changing hands—

Then—

“Hey Pep, thanks Pep, you’re a great friend, I’m having fun, catchyoulaterbye—”

And then the line cut off, and Pepper was left with a blank screen and a bright smile that she simply couldn’t quell.

“Ms Potts?”

Pepper glanced up to the board, her lips still curved. “Sorry,” she said. “Just some good news. But let’s get on with this, shall we?”

There were a few grumbles from the board, but they had all been well chosen, and the discussion on the matters of import quickly washed away any lingering curiosity about her call.

And yet, throughout the meeting – and indeed for the rest of the day – Pepper’s smile remained in place, pleased in the knowledge that she had managed to help not one, but _two_ friends find happiness. Though, she couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before she was given the news that Loki would be joining the Avengers and moving in.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too long—

Because as fun as the abductions had been, it would be far easier to arrange tea if Loki began living in the penthouse of Avengers Tower.

Perhaps… it was time to start thinking of a new plan.


End file.
